Obama tours Petra on last stop of Middle East tour

By John King, Jessica Yellin and Ben Brumfield, CNN

Updated 12:21 AM ET, Sun March 24, 2013

President Obama tours ancient Petra8 photos

President Obama tours ancient Petra – U.S. President Barack Obama tours the Treasury at the ancient city of Petra, in Jordan, on Saturday, March 23. Obama arrived in Jordan on March 22, on the last leg of a Middle East tour after challenging Israelis to embrace peace with Palestinians.

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President Obama tours ancient Petra8 photos

President Obama tours ancient Petra – Obama, left, is escorted by Suleiman al-Farajat, a professor of tourism at the University of Jordan, during his visit to a shrine during a tour of the ruins of Petra on March 23.

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President Obama tours ancient Petra8 photos

President Obama tours ancient Petra – Obama and Professor al-Faraja stop to discuss a site in Petra on March 23.

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President Obama tours ancient Petra8 photos

President Obama tours ancient Petra – The president's motorcade sits parked on a dirt path as he tours Petra on Saturday.

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President Obama tours ancient Petra8 photos

President Obama tours ancient Petra – Members of the U.S. Secret Service stand watch in Petra.

President Obama tours ancient Petra – Obama and his escorts stand outside the Treasury, or Al Khazneh, in Petra on March 23. The magnificent building, carved out of solid rock, is more than 2,000 years old.

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President Obama tours ancient Petra8 photos

President Obama tours ancient Petra – Obama shakes hands with Jordan's King Abdullah II prior to boarding Air Force One to depart from Queen Alia International Airport in Amman, Jordan, on Saturday, March 23.

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Story highlights

Kerry will meet with Netanyahu and Abbas, a State Department official says

Obama takes a cultural tour of an ancient city before returning to Washington

In a last-minute move, Netanyahu calls Turkey to apologize -- on Obama's initiative

Jordan has 460,000 Syrian refugees with more coming, King Abdullah says

U.S. President Barack Obama wrapped up his trip to the Middle East on Saturday with a walking tour of the ancient city of Petra in Jordan.

The city's breathtaking architecture features buildings partly carved into stone cliffs and combines eastern culture with ancient Greek constructions. It is a UNESCO world heritage site.

Obama was accompanied on a leisurely tour through Petra's steep red-rock formations by a University of Jordan tourism professor, with all other visitors kept well away -- except for a few stray cats.

Soon after his stroll through the arid landscape, renowned for its colorful interplay of light and shadow, the president headed back to Washington, where he arrived Saturday night.

A last-minute success

Just before departing for Jordan on Friday, Obama scored a diplomatic coup when Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu apologized to Turkey for a 2010 commando raid that killed nine activists on a Turkish vessel in a Gaza-bound flotilla.

The apology, long sought by Turkish Prime Minister Recep Erdogan, eased strained feelings between Turkey and Israel, two vital U.S. allies in the Middle East.

Photos: Obama visits Israel 12 photos

Photos: Obama visits Israel12 photos

Obama visits Israel – Israeli President Shimon Peres welcomes President Barack Obama to his residence on Wednesday, March 20, in Jerusalem. Obama is making his first trip to Israel as president. It's part of his sweep across the Middle East, which also will include visits to the West Bank and Jordan.

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Photos: Obama visits Israel12 photos

Obama visits Israel – Obama and Peres listen to children sing before meeting on March 20.

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Photos: Obama visits Israel12 photos

Obama visits Israel – Obama and Peres head into the Israeli president's house in Jerusalem on March 20.

Obama visits Israel – A boy waves a Palestinian flag at a camp Palestinians set up to demonstrate against Obama's visit on March 20. Activists erected the tent city outside Jerusalem in the West Bank to protest the Obama trip and continued Israeli construction of settlements in what they consider an occupied territory.

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Photos: Obama visits Israel12 photos

Obama visits Israel – Palestinians in Gaza City hold up placards demonstrating against Obama's visit on March 20.

Obama visits Israel – Obama greets Israeli officials during the welcome ceremony at the airport on March 20. Israeli President Shimon Peres, second from right, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, are by Obama's side.

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Photos: Obama visits Israel12 photos

Obama visits Israel – Obama shares a laugh with Israeli President Shimon Peres during the official welcoming ceremony at Ben Gurion Airport on March 20.

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Photos: Obama visits Israel12 photos

Obama visits Israel – Obama accompanies Israeli President Benjamin Nethanyahu at Ben Gurion Airport on March 20 in a handout image from the Government Press Office of Israel.

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Obama visits Israel – Air Force One waits at Ben Gurion Airport on March 20 after Obama's arrival.

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Photos: Obama visits Israel12 photos

Obama visits Israel – The official limousine awaiting Obama's arrival in Israel is towed after malfunctioning in Jerusalem on March 20. The limo failed to start after its driver refueled it using gasoline rather than diesel fuel, an official said.

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EXPAND GALLERY

Photos: Obama tours Middle East 21 photos

Photos: Obama tours Middle East21 photos

Obama tours Middle East – President Barack Obama visits the Hall of Names at the Yad Vashem Holocaust memorial with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, Israeli President Shimon Peres, center, Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau and Avner Shalev, the museum's director, on Friday, March 22, in Jerusalem. As part of his Mideast tour, Obama wrapped up his first trip to Israel as president and arrived in Jordan, another key ally, on Friday.

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Photos: Obama tours Middle East21 photos

Obama tours Middle East – Obama tours Yad Vashem with Israeli leaders on March 22. The stop was part of an effort to help bolster the U.S. president's standing with Israelis by showing his understanding of the history of the Jewish state.

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Photos: Obama tours Middle East21 photos

Obama tours Middle East – Obama pays his respects in the Hall of Remembrance at Yad Vashem on March 22 as Marines lay a wreath on his behalf.

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Obama tours Middle East – Obama visits Yad Vashem on March 22. The president turned up the "eternal flame" of remembrance for the millions of Jewish victims of Nazi death camps.

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Photos: Obama tours Middle East21 photos

Obama tours Middle East – Obama and Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas review the honor guard during an official arrival ceremony at the Muqata, the Palestinian Authority headquarters in the West Bank city of Ramallah, on Thursday, March 21. Obama arrived in Ramallah on his first visit as president. It's part of his sweep across the Middle East, which also includes visits to Israel and Jordan.

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Photos: Obama tours Middle East21 photos

Obama tours Middle East – Obama and Abbas shake hands during a joint press conference following meetings at the Muqata on March 21. Obama has asked for Israelis and Palestinians to discuss a two-state solution to the long-running conflict.

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Photos: Obama tours Middle East21 photos

Obama tours Middle East – Obama and Salam Fayyad, prime minister of the Palestinian Authority, greet a young dancer following a performance at the al-Bireh Youth Center in Ramallah on March 21.

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Photos: Obama tours Middle East21 photos

Obama tours Middle East – Final preparations are made before Obama's speech to Israeli students on March 21 in Jerusalem.

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Photos: Obama tours Middle East21 photos

Obama tours Middle East – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, center right, hosts Obama at a dinner on Wednesday, March 21, Jerusalem, Israel. Obama is making his first trip to Israel as president.

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Photos: Obama tours Middle East21 photos

Obama tours Middle East – Israeli President Shimon Peres welcomes Obama to his residence on Wednesday, March 20, in Jerusalem.

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Photos: Obama tours Middle East21 photos

Obama tours Middle East – Obama and Peres listen to children sing before meeting on March 20.

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Photos: Obama tours Middle East21 photos

Obama tours Middle East – Obama and Peres head into the Israeli president's house in Jerusalem on March 20.

Obama tours Middle East – A boy waves a Palestinian flag at a camp Palestinians set up to demonstrate against Obama's visit on March 20. Activists erected the tent city outside Jerusalem in the West Bank to protest the Obama trip and continued Israeli construction of settlements in what they consider an occupied territory.

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Photos: Obama tours Middle East21 photos

Obama tours Middle East – Palestinians in Gaza City hold up placards demonstrating against Obama's visit on March 20.

Obama tours Middle East – Obama greets Israeli officials during the welcome ceremony at the airport on March 20. Israeli President Shimon Peres, second from right, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, are by Obama's side.

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Photos: Obama tours Middle East21 photos

Obama tours Middle East – Obama shares a laugh with Israeli President Shimon Peres during the official welcoming ceremony at Ben Gurion Airport on March 20.

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Photos: Obama tours Middle East21 photos

Obama tours Middle East – Obama accompanies Israeli President Benjamin Nethanyahu at Ben Gurion Airport on March 20 in a handout image from the Government Press Office of Israel.

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Photos: Obama tours Middle East21 photos

Obama tours Middle East – Air Force One waits at Ben Gurion Airport on March 20 after Obama's arrival.

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Photos: Obama tours Middle East21 photos

Obama tours Middle East – The official limousine awaiting Obama's arrival in Israel is towed after malfunctioning in Jerusalem on March 20. The limo failed to start after its driver refueled it using gasoline rather than diesel fuel, an official said.

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It happened in a phone call to Erdogan during a final meeting between Obama and Netanyahu at an international airport in Tel Aviv, minutes before Air Force One departed for Jordan to complete the president's Middle East swing.

Obama hailed the development as an important step forward for both countries.

Friday in Jordan, Obama focused on the civil war in neighboring Syria, with King Abdullah telling reporters that the conflict has already caused 460,000 refugees to flood his country and more are on the way.

That is equivalent to 10% of Jordan's population, and the total could double by the end of the year, the king said. He asked for more help from the international community as his country also deals with internal reforms in response to economic woes that are raising public dissatisfaction.

Obama said he was working with Congress to provide an additional $200 million to Jordan this year to help deal with the refugee influx, but he remained steadfast in his refusal to pledge U.S. military assistance to the Syrian opposition movement.

However, Obama repeated past warnings that his stance on military involvement could change if Syria uses chemical weapons.

Jordan is suffering from refugee fatigue. Masses of people have fled there from neighboring countries whenever conflict was rife. The Syrian conflict comes on top of the flood of refugees that came from Iraq just a decade ago.

The country is a close U.S. ally and has been one of the most stable in the region, but it has seen recent internal turmoil and discontent.

King Abdullah has a reputation for benevolence, unlike autocratic rulers such as Syria's Bashar al-Assad or deposed Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. One house of the Jordanian parliament is democratically elected.

However, a weak economy and allegations of corruption by public officials have stoked dissatisfaction with him.

In November, crowds took to the streets calling for King Abdullah's downfall because of rising gasoline prices.

More recently, comments attributed to King Abdullah in the The Atlantic caused further anger toward the monarch, who was quoted as calling the opposition Muslim Brotherhood a "Masonic cult" and referring to tribal elders in his country as "old dinosaurs."

The royal court says some of King Abdullah's comments in the magazine were taken out of context by local Jordanian and international media outlets who reported on the article.

Courting Israel

In Israel, the last-minute diplomacy added a flourish to Obama's first visit to the Jewish state as president.

While the two nations have a key strategic partnership, with the United States supplying military aid and diplomatic support as Israel's most vital ally, Obama and Netanyahu had famously frosty relations during the president's first term.

With both beginning new terms after Obama's reelection last year and Netanyahu's recent formation of a new government, the president's visit was an opportunity to reset the relationship and signal unified positions on major issues such as the Middle East peace process and Iran's efforts to develop a nuclear weapon.

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Tensions high in Mideast as Obama visits region 11 photos

Tensions high in Mideast as Obama visits region11 photos

Places so close, yet so far apart – CNN Chief National Correspondent John King talks to the owner of an Israeli security training center while covering President Barack Obama's visit to the region. King and CNN producer Tasha Diakides have been documenting their Middle East trip on Instagram.

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Tensions high in Mideast as Obama visits region11 photos

Places so close, yet so far apart – Israeli and U.S. flags flying side-by-side can be seen all across Jerusalem with banners boasting of the "unbreakable alliance" with the United States.

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Tensions high in Mideast as Obama visits region11 photos

Places so close, yet so far apart – Children walk home from school in Gaza. In addition to Israel, Obama is also visiting the West Bank and Jordan, but not Gaza.

Places so close, yet so far apart – CNN photojournalist Chris Turner shoots video of the Israeli West Bank barrier wall from the Israeli side. Tensions are increasing on both sides of the wall, including rock attacks on settlers on roads that run between Israeli and Palestinian neighborhoods.

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Tensions high in Mideast as Obama visits region11 photos

Places so close, yet so far apart – Palestinians rally against Obama in the West Bank on Friday before his arrival. White House officials say Obama is not carrying a new peace initiative for the Israeli-Palestinian dispute.

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Tensions high in Mideast as Obama visits region11 photos

Places so close, yet so far apart – CNN Producer Tasha Diakides, who is traveling with King, says Friday's anti-Obama protest was relatively tame. "We didn't need the flak jackets, helmets and masks in our trunk today," she wrote on Instagram. See more of Diakides' images

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Tensions high in Mideast as Obama visits region11 photos

Places so close, yet so far apart – In the West Bank, a girl holds images of a loved one at a protest demanding the release of Palestinians detained in Israel.

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Tensions high in Mideast as Obama visits region11 photos

Places so close, yet so far apart – In Ramallah, West Bank, a message to Obama airs grievances regarding limits on cell phone service in the region.

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Tensions high in Mideast as Obama visits region11 photos

Places so close, yet so far apart – Israeli workers clear the site of a controversial new subdivision at the Israeli settlement of Ma'ale Adumim in the West Bank.

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Tensions high in Mideast as Obama visits region11 photos

Places so close, yet so far apart – At an Israeli security academy in the West Bank, instructors simulate a response to a terror attack.

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EXPAND GALLERY

Obama and Netanyahu met several times during the president's three days in Israel, which also included a state dinner where Israeli President Shimon Peres awarded him the country's highest civilian honor.

Before leaving Israel, Obama paid tribute to the father of modern Zionism in a symbolic visit to Theodor Herzl's grave.

Joined by Peres, Netanyahu and Kerry, Obama also visited the grave of former Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin, who was assassinated in 1995.

Obama placed a stone at each grave from the grounds of the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial in Washington in a gesture to link the African-American struggle for freedom with the struggle by the Israeli people for a homeland.

The president also visited the Holocaust memorial Yad Vashem, where he turned up the "eternal flame" of remembrance of the millions of Jewish victims of Nazi death camps in World War II.

In Israel, Obama urged young Israelis in a speech to pressure their leaders to seek peace with Palestinians.

He asked Israelis to empathize with the plight of Palestinians, and he drew applause when he criticized the Israeli government's controversial policy of building new settlements in disputed territories.

During a visit with Abbas in Ramallah, in the West Bank, Obama stressed the need for direct talks between Israelis and Palestinians for a two-state solution.

"The Palestinian people deserve an end to occupation and the daily indignities that come with it," he said at a news conference with Abbas, adding that Palestinians deserve "a future of hope" and a "state of their own."

Abbas said the Israeli settlements are "more than a hurdle to peace," calling them illegal and saying it was Israel's duty to stop building them.

He envisioned a Palestinian state based on 1967 borders with Jerusalem as capital -- a scenario unacceptable to Israel.